Life at the Swoop
by TeresaDelay
Summary: Little scenes from Alanna and George's marriage because I love them. No particular order. Total and complete fluff. No Plot. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns it all.

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Content was a new emotion for Alanna. Happy, sad, elated, depressed, triumphant, enthralled—all those she had felt at various points in her life. But as she leaned over the balcony and idly rubbed her growing belly while watching her husband dramatically search through the garden for their giggling two-year-old son, she realized she was completely content for the first time in her life. Her first pregnancy had been filled with anxiety about labor and a nettlesome fear that she was shirking her duty as the King's Champion. But as her twins churned inside her, she realized with a start that she had no desire to run off and whack someone with her sword. It was the eternal dilemma of her life that when she was chasing bandits she desperately wanted to be at home, but when she was home she searched endlessly for something to keep her busy. As George darted around an apple tree and caught the squealing Thom with one arm, Alanna wished she could hold on to this moment forever. She knew the feeling of contentment would be fleeting, and all too soon she would have to leave her home once again.

Smiling, she stood up straight and walked back into her bedroom, pushing through the fluttering white curtains that acted as doors during the summer months. The sound of the waves crashing into the Swoop's infamous cliffs followed her inside. She walked past the large four-poster bed to her boots. As she awkwardly attempted to pull them on, she knocked over the vase filled with lavender sitting on the dresser and cursed. Her curses turned to laughter when she noticed the small knife that was hidden at its base; her husband would always be a Rogue at heart. Once she got her boots on, she walked down the stairs to join her husband and son in the garden.

"I found your knife under the vase on our dresser. How many knives do you have stashed around our room?" she asked.

"Can you blame a man for wantin' to be ready?" he responded.

She leaned against him and his arms circled around her.

"No, I suppose not," she replied, turning her face up for a kiss.

"Grooosssss. STOP KISSING." Thom ran over and attempted to wriggle in between his two parents. He screwed up his face in disgust at his parents' display of affection. Alanna laughed and leaned over to pick him up, settling him on her hip.

"I believe young man that it is time for you to go to bed," said Alanna reveling in the total peace she felt when she held her young son.

"But Ma."

"No but Ma."

"Will you and Da tell me a story?" he said in his lisping baby voice that Alanna could never say no to.  
"Of course we will lad. What story would you like to hear?" his dad responded. As they walked back into the castle, the boy demanded to hear the story of when his mother and her brother used magic to run-off their father's nasty suitor. He loved every story that involved magic.

After they tucked the boy in, Alanna went back out on the balcony while George went to his study to do some work. A few minutes later, she started a bit before relaxing as her husband's arms wrapped around her and he kissed her neck. "All these years and you can still sneak up on me."

George chuckled, "How you feeling lass?"

"Like life couldn't be more perfect than it is right now. I thought you had work that you were suppose to be doing."

"How is a man suppose to do work when he knows his gorgeous wife is next door wearing little more than a scanty nightgown?" he responded, kissing her neck again.

Alanna turned in his arms smiling up at him. "Are you blaming me?" she asked.

Rather than respond, her husband kissed her softly on the lips, gentle hands running over her swelling belly and up to just barely caress the sides of her breasts, making Alanna breath in sharply.

Pulling away George said huskily, "I should really go back to work."

"Mm. You really should," Alanna said kissing the hollow of his neck and snaking her hands under his shirt to caress his back. "You have a duty to the Crown after all," she whispered.

George kissed her passionately before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the bed. "I'm leaving right now. See I'm walking towards my study as I speak," he murmured, sliding his wife's nightgown up over her head and tossing it on the floor. Alanna lay on the bed naked except for her loincloth while George pulled off all his clothes except for his breeches. He sat down on the bed next to her and put his hand on her cheek. "I love you, Alanna."

Alanna smiled lazily as her husband moved his fingers down her neck, side and began tracing circles on her right thigh, slowly moving his hand inward. "I love you, too." He gripped her knee and slid his hand up, his thumb pressing hard into her inner thigh. Alanna moaned softly, arching her back slightly. George smiled down at his wife as he caressed her, eyes roaming over the body that he knew so well. He loved these moments because they were such a contrast to her normal active self. While he loved her for her drive and independence, he also loved the moments in their bed where she let him take complete control over her. He shifted so that he was laying on his side curled around her and began kissing her shoulder and collar bone, than trailing up her neck to kiss her passionately on her mouth, all the while continuing to tease her through her loincloth. Slowly he pulled her loincloth down, finally throwing it on the floor to join her nightgown. He rolled her gently on to her side and she slid her hand over his hip only partially opening her eyes. She began untying the laces of his breeches and eased them off. Rather than push between her legs, he left her on her side so that her pregnant stomach would not get in the way. She tightened when he slid into her, moaning softly. He moved languidly at first, but quickly built up speed as they both got closer to finishing. As he thrust into her for the final time, she dug her nails into his arm and cried out. Afterwards, he lay down and curled around her, murmuring messages of love into her ear as he played with her hair. When she snuggled as close as she could into him, he put his hand on her stomach, rubbing it slowly. She smiled up at him, watching the look of awe that always played across his features when he contemplated their unborn children.

"When I'm with you, I feel so at peace and safe, like I don't have to worry about anything," Alanna said and kissed him softly.

"Good. Even heroes need a place where they can rest. I'm glad you found your place with me. Now go to sleep my Lioness. Rest while you can." He kissed her forehead, and she closed her eyes and relaxed. As George continued to hold and watch his lass as she drifted off into slumber, he felt perfectly content.

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Hope you enjoyed. I think I'll leave this as a oneshot, but you might convince me to change.


	2. Chapter 2

You know I was reading all the AJ pairings and I was like poor George, he never gets any and he sooo deserves it. So, this is a lemon all the way, and if I decide to add again it will surly continue to be lemons. I think whenever I think of a scene I imagine in their marriage I'll just add it in. Just so you know there is no timeline. This chapter is before the last, and I intend to skip around as suits me.

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns it all.

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The sounds of gulls screeching woke Alanna as the first rays of sunlight fell across her room. She opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of sleeping husband.

_Husband._ She thought to herself, examining the simple gold ring on her left hand and then looking at the matching one on her husband's hand. _Who would have thought this would actually happen? I can't believe how lucky I am_.

"I am lucky man," George murmured as he reached over to pull his wife towards him, echoing her thoughts as he so often did. "I get to wake up to this sight for the rest of my life."

Alanna smiled and snuggled into him. "I bet you didn't think this would happen the first time we met," she said slyly.

George laughed. "It's true. If someone had told me I would marry that 10-year-old redheaded purple-eyed country-bred noble boy riding a fat pony, who couldn't believe the sights before his eyes, I woulda laughed until tears rained down my cheeks. Luckily, my Sight was smarter than I was and told me you were worth a second glance."

Alanna laughed and kissed him. "I'm glad too. I'm not sure I would have made it through my knight's training without you. You were always there for me."

"I still remember the shock when you told me you were a girl. I mean there I am standing stark naked in front of this page who is declaring his femininity to me and demanding to see a healer. What was that about anyways? You never did tell me."

Alanna blushed dark red, and George was amused to notice that the blush traveled down her neck and chest. "I had my first womanly bleeding and I didn't know what it is."

George laughed, "No wonder you looked so terrified. I expect that'd be enough to scare anyone, not to mention someone as desperate to pretend they weren't a girl as you were."

He kissed her again, his hands following her earlier blush down her body. "I can't believe you are here next to me. My wife. I keep expecting the Trickster to come out and tell me it's all an elaborate ruse." He pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her again.

"Believe it my love. As of yesterday, there is no getting rid of me," Alanna said happily moving closer into his embrace as his hands explored the contours of her body. She sighed in pleasure as he slowly kissed her neck and collarbone. She moaned and slid her fingers into his hair as he kissed down the scar on the middle of her chest and then slowly blew his breath along the soft under-part of her breast, making her shiver with pleasure at the sensation. When he reached up to kiss her nipple, touching it softly with his tongue, she groaned out loud. He reached back up to kiss her passionately on the mouth, her lips widening willingly for his tongue. One hand wrapped around her, George used his other hand to softly stroke her stomach before reaching down between her legs. Alanna twitched against her will, breaking the kiss to bite him on the neck.

"Goddess, George," she breathed in his ear, unable to control the slight movements of her body under his hand. She dug her nails into him and bit down harder as he slid a finger into her. She could hardly handle the sensations washing over her as he touched her. Finally, she whimpered and tugged at his hip, clearly signaling what she wanted. George smiled as he kissed her on the mouth hard and rolled between her legs, pushing himself into her. She groaned and arched her back to meet him. He reached down and pulled one of her legs up to lean against his chest, he kneeled and put his hands under her, lifting her to him as he stroked into her. She convulsed and slammed her hands behind her moaning still louder. He felt her shudder around him, and it took all his control not to respond in kind. Focusing only on her, he laid her back down on the bed, slowing the pace of his movements and kissing her softly on the lips.

"I love you, Alanna," he whispered in her ear.

She put her hand on his cheek, her eyes still glazed with lust, and said back to him, "And I love you, forever."

He kissed her again, and she deepened it, wrapping her legs around his waist. Unable to hold back anymore, George sped up his movements again and watched his wife's breath speed up with his. At last he convulsed inside of her and her body responded rhythmically around him. He lay down on top of her, and she ran one hand down his back while the other caressed his hair. After a moment he nuzzled her neck and then rolled off of her. Alanna curled into him drowsily and murmured, "I think it is time to go back to sleep."

George chuckled, "Didn't we just wake up?"

"It's our honeymoon. We can sleep as much, or as little as we want," Alanna replied and promptly fell asleep with her head on her husband's chest.


	3. Chapter 3

George sighed, shoved the pile of papers in front of him away and ran his hands distractedly through his hair. He hadn't seen his wife in five months and the separation was starting to wear on him. He'd come to Corus to report to Jon in person two days ago, and Alanna had left Corus to go after some bandits three days ago. They always seemed to just miss each other. They'd had two blissful weeks at the Swoop after they were married, but then the famine began. Jon and Thayet were scraping the bottom of the royal coffers to buy food to feed Tortall, but there were still plenty of hungry people, and plenty of hungry people meant plenty of bandits. Alanna had been roaming through Tortall with the King's Own fighting them and bringing food and seed to towns all over Tortall. They had been married five months and two weeks, and he hadn't seen her since the first two weeks. Suddenly, in uncharacteristic petulance, he up-ended his desk and cursed loudly, papers scattering across the room. He sat down in his chair, trying to stop himself from chucking it across the room like a four-year-old in a temper tantrum, when a voice said from the doorway, "Somebody's being naughty."

George froze instantly, and looked up to see his wife, covered in dust from riding, wearing loose breeches and a light shirt.

"This is a fine welcome I receive," she said with a grin, closing the door behind her. She slowly pulled her shirt over her head. "I walk into my husband's room after months of separation and find him in the middle of a tantrum." She slid her feet out of her boots and stockings and slowly unlaced her breeches. "Now he appears completely beyond words or action, which is as uncharacteristic as the earlier tantrum." Her breeches dropped to the floor and she continued her slow slink towards George's chair. "Happy to see me?" she purred as she straddled him and kissed him on the neck.

George put a hand on each side of her head and looked at her. "You're really here. I didn't just doze off over these boring reports that I've been reading."

Alanna smiled slyly and slipped a hand into his breeches, squeezing gently. "Does it matter?" she asked huskily.

"Yes," he answered, voice strained by the pleasure of her touch. He pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm tired of waking up from dreams and finding you've disappeared, and worse you were never really there.

She smiled sadly and wrapped her arms tight around him, burying her face in his neck. "I missed you too." He hugged her just as tight and kissed her shoulder. She felt his lips spread against her neck in a smile.

"What?" she asked softly.

"Now I know you're really here. In my dreams you don't taste like dusty roads," George said, his smile widening. He turned, smothering her protests with a passionate kiss. She slid his tunic and shirt off as he unwrapped her breastband, both desperate to be as close as possible after this long absence. He lifted his hips off the chair and she slid his breeches off. They both discarded their loincloths; they're lips still locked and their hands roaming all over each other's bodies. She slid tightly around him and they both gasped. She bit his neck and rocked her body rhythmically, forcing a groan out of him. He leaned her back as she rocked on him, nuzzling into her chest, kissing each one of her breasts as her rocking brought on unbearable pleasure.

"George," she whispered into his ear, as his hands moved down her body and reached behind her to pull her even closer to him. As he pushed himself still deeper she moaned and he slid his hand around to her front to add to the pulsating pressure building inside of her body. She groaned louder. "Please George," she begged. "I can't…" Understanding what she wanted, he put his hands on her hips and matched his movements with hers in a steady pounding till he released inside her, causing her to respond with her own rhythmic climax. As she pulsated around him, he held her to him and slowly rubbed her back. Finally, she slid off of him, her face still buried in his neck. He could hear her breathing slow and become regular as her body relaxed. He stood up, still holding her, and carried her to the bath that he had been about to take before she arrived. He slid her into it carefully and she sighed in contentment, her eyes still shut. He walked out of the room and pulled on some breeches, walking back in with a plate of cheese and bread from the bedroom.

"Want some food lass?" he asked.

"Mhm," she murmured, still refusing to open her eyes.

He grinned and sat down next to the tub and held some cheese and a bit of bread to her lips. She opened her mouth and ate it. When he fed her another piece, she bit his finger playfully and he chuckled softly. He put the food down and picked up the pitcher next to the tub. He filled it and gently pushed his wife's head back, pouring the water carefully over her hair. "What are you doing here? Jon said you left to get some bandits three days ago."

"We got word that the villagers has killed the bandits themselves. Something about a very tall traveling street magician who turned out to have a powerful Gift, I don't know. All I know is I wasn't needed to take care of them, and you were here. I came straight back and sent three squads of the Own out to investigate."

George took up some of the soap and rubbed it into Alanna's hair, massaging her scalp with is fingertips. He rinsed her hair out then began soaping her whole body. Certain parts of her body got more attention than others even though Alanna pointed out they were probably the cleanest parts of her. When she was thoroughly washed George helped her get out of the tub and dried her off. She giggled at his ministrations, trying to hold herself still. At last he finished, pulling her robe off the hook in the room and wrapping it around her. He picked her up and carried her over to bed, which he lowered her carefully onto. He sat down and she curled up next to him as he caressed her hair. Within minutes the weary knight was asleep. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, and walked over to turn his desk right side up. He re-arranged his papers and was about to sit down when a loud thundering came at the door. He sighed, but quickly moved to the door, hoping to stop the person from waking Alanna, but knowing the knock would no doubt mean she was being called away again. Sure enough it was Jon at the door looking agitated.

"I need Alanna right now," Jon said, trying to control his breathing.

"She just got back. She's sleeping. Do you want me to wake her up?"

"Yes, it's Thayet. Something's gone wrong with the pregnancy."

George's eyes widened. "One second," he said, closing the door and running over to shake his wife awake. "Alanna wake-up. Jon's at the door. Something's wrong with Thayet." He ran over to the dresser and pulled clothing out of the dresser, tossing it to her. Quickly, she drew on her clothes and he pulled on a shirt. Not bothering to put shoes or stockings on, Alanna opened the door and said, "Where is she?"

"In our room."

Alanna sprinted down the hall with Jon close behind her. "What happened?"

"I don't know. She's just getting terrible pains in her stomach. She's worried the baby's trying to come now."

The two burst into the room and found Thayet sitting on the floor gripping Buri's hand. Her face was pale and she was panting. Alanna kneeled down next to her and let her Gift flow into her. Quickly, she used her magic to ease the contractions racking Thayet's body. She saw an infection that she quickly burned away. As Thayet relaxed, Alanna used her magic to look at the baby to make sure it was fine. She smiled at what she saw. When she was finished healing she said, "Everything is going to be fine now. Thayet let's get you into bed. Slowly now, we don't want that to start again." Buri, Alanna and Jon all supported Thayet's weight helping her get into the bed.

"It looks like you got a small infection and that caused early labor. It's fine now. I got rid of the infection, stopped the labor and the baby is okay. However, Thayet, you can't get out of bed till the baby's ready."

"What," screeched Thayet. "I'm only six and half months along. That's two and a half months of sitting in bed doing nothing."

"I know," said Alanna with a grimace. "Believe me. I understand how much you dislike this, but any activity could trigger labor, and the baby wouldn't survive at this age."

"Don't worry love. We'll find ways to keep you entertained," Jon said, kissing her cheek.

"No love-making either," Alanna warned.

"That wasn't what I was sugg—what?! For two and a half months?" said Jon.

Alanna narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me, exactly how long did you send me out on missions keeping me separate from my husband. I believe it was two and half months times two. So quit your whining."

Jon glared at her, but didn't say anything.

"There's something else," Alanna said hesitatingly. "Do you want to know if the baby is a boy or a girl?"

"Yes," Thayet said.

"I thought you wanted it to be a surprise," Jon said in confusion.

"We need to know. If you can tell people we have a male heir coming, it may help inspire confidence."

Jon smiled and put his arms around Thayet, one handing resting on her belly. They both looked at Alanna expectantly. "Congratulations. You have a healthy baby boy on the way." The two royals smiled and kissed softly. Alanna and Buri slid out of the room unnoticed, and Buri said, "Pah. That's what comes of marriage. Two and a half months bedridden. Hmpf. I'm never marrying."

Alanna rolled her eyes at the younger woman. "Well, that's what I always use to say." They parted, and Alanna walked back to her rooms.

"Everything alright?" George asked when she came in.

Alanna nodded and sat down on the bed. "Thayet went into early labor, but I stopped it. She can't get out of bed for the rest of the pregnancy."

George winced and studied his wife's somber face. "I'm guessing that put you off pregnancy for good," he said ruefully, sitting beside her and wrapping his arms around her.

Alanna shook her head. "No, actually. I saw the baby when I checked on it, and the looks on their faces as they thought about it. I realized I want that. I know I said I wanted your babies one day, and I did sort of in the distant hazy future, but now I really want them. I want to feel our child grow inside me and hold that baby. We're going to have to wait until everything calms down, but I'm looking forward to when it does and we can do this."

George smiled and tugged her into his lap, leaning back against the headboard. "You just made my day lass," he said and kissed her softly. "I want to see our child to, although I'm fairly certain children coming from the two of us will be huge pains' in the ass. When Ma was mad at me she used to say, wait until you grow up and have children stealing and running riot. You'll be sorry then."

Alanna chuckled and kissed his neck. "Well, we'll find out soon," she said, resting her head on his chest.

George kissed her temple and smiled. "Rest now lass. No doubt you'll get dragged off soon. At least when you're pregnant I'll get nine months with you to myself."

The two drifted off to sleep, both of their hands settled protectively on her stomach.

--

So, not technically life at the swoop, but I didn't think Alanna would be able to surprise George at the swoop.


	4. Chapter 4

Alanna sighed and flipped over in her bed for what felt like the thousandth time. How was it that she slept perfectly fine on the road without her husband, but she could never sleep well at the Swoop without his comforting presence next to her? Finally, she gave up and got out of bed. It was only an hour before she normally awoke anyways, and she clearly was not going to get anymore sleep. She slipped on some breeches, a simple shirt and soft boots, pulling a comb quickly though her short hair. She walked across the hall and silently entered her eldest son's room. She touched his cheek gently, and then walked to her younger son's room. Alan had completely wrapped himself in his blankets and she straightened them with a smile, looking forward to hearing how he had killed monsters in his dreams. She should really stop telling him stories about battles, but he loved them so. Next she walked into her daughter's room. Once she saw Aly was sleeping easily, she moved to leave, but as she opened the door she heard her daughter say, "Mama?"

Alanna sighed. Her younger daughter always knew when someone entered her room. She had never had the peaceful oblivious sleep granted to most children. She turned back to her daughter, who reminded her so strongly of George. She irrationally worried about her safety, concerned about where the child's endless curiosity would lead her. She sat down on Aly's bed and stroked her hair, "Go back to sleep Aly."

"But Mama, I can't sleep. When's Da coming come?" she asked.

Alanna smiled. Aly was like George's shadow, and she hated being separated from him. "Da will be home soon. Probably in around three days."

Aly nodded solemnly, storing the information away. Suddenly, she smiled at her mother in her most charming manner and said, "Sea!"

"See? See what Aly?"

Aly shook her head in exasperation at her mother's stupidity. "Beach. Sea. Play."

"Not now, Aly."

"Why not?"

Alanna paused. Actually, the girl was right. There was no reason no to go to the beach right now. "Alright, let's go down to the beach."

Aly squealed with delight as her mother picked her up and carried her in her night gown out of the castle, pausing to grab a large blanket and two towels along the way. When they walked down the winding wooden stairs to the beach outside the castle walls, Aly laughed in delight and snuggled in closer to her Ma. "Sea," she crowed. The first rays of dawn were peeking out, making the ocean sparkle with its pink and orange rays. Once at the beach Alanna quickly took off her boots and stockings, knowing her daughter would want to wade in the water. Aly laughed when she saw a flock of crows near them. Roaring, she raced at them, making them fly off.

Alanna caught up with Aly and stripped off her nightgown to prevent her from getting it soaking wet. Holding both of Aly's hands, Alanna walked her out into the ocean. Aly shrieked as the water touched her tiny feet, stomping happily in the constantly moving water. When Alanna stopped when the water was just below her knees Aly frowned. "In more Mama. Like when you and Da swim. I want to go in far."

About to deny her daughter, she cocked her head thinking. The waves were fairly small today, the breeze was warm, and her daughter was fearless enough not to be scared. She towed Aly back in and quickly stripped off her breeches and shirt, before picking up her daughter again. "Charge!" she shouted running into the ocean with her daughter on her hip.

Aly giggled, "Faster Mama! Faster!"

"Aly, you have to do exactly what Mama says okay. The sea is fun and pretty, but its also dangerous and you have to know what your doing."

"I know Mama," she said, leaving Alanna to wonder how a four-year-old could possibly sound exasperated. Alanna was waist deep now and her daughter demanded they go out farther.

As a wave came Alanna said, "Okay baby, take a deep breath when I tell you to. We're going to go under the wave. Don't open you're mouth till you're out of the water. Deep breath now!" Alanna waded towards the wave and dove under it, still clasping her daughter. She had the familiar sensation of the wave passing over her as it crashed behind her, and she popped up.

"Fun!" Aly cried. "Do it again."

The mother and daughter happily dove under the waves for quite awhile. Alanna would sumersault under water and bounce off the bottom of the ocean high into the air as the water passed over the two. Everytime they popped out of the water Aly laughed and demanded that they do it again. Suddenly Alanna realized the largest wave of the morning was coming, and she was in the exact wrong place. With Aly in her arms, she couldn't swim quickly towards it to dive under. Fear for her daughter flaring slightly Alanna said, "Alright baby. This wave is going to tumble us. Just hold on to Mama and hold you're breath and you'll be fine."

The wave broke on them and Alanna lost her footing entirely. She swirled around in the wave, unable to tell up from down, her body curled protectively around her child. At last her back hit sand, she waited calmly for the wave to finish and popped up out of the water, looking at her daughter with concern. Aly's eyes were wide as she stared at her mother. Alanna braced herself for her daughter to start crying, but instead she said, "Do it again! Do it again!"

Alanna laughed, "I knew insanity ran in the family. No youngling, I hit my shoulder pretty good there and you are starting to turn blue with cold. It's time to head in."

As the two waded in towards shore, Alanna noticed a tall familiar figure standing on the beach for the first time. "Look Aly," she whispered in her ear.

"Da!" the girl screamed, wriggling out of Alanna's grasp and running the rest of the way to where her father stood. He bent down and scooped her up in his arms, spinning her around and laughing.

"Hey there kid. I saw you took quite a tumble. Let's get you dried off." He took one of the towels and wrapped around Aly before picking the girl up again. Alanna wound the larger towel around herself and kissed her husband, his free arm circling around his waist.

"Looks like you two had fun out there," he said.

Alanna smiled. "Aly is quite insistent sometimes. It's good to have you home. We both missed you."

"I missed my two favorite lasses too."

The three stood in silence for a few moments, happy to be together again.

"Want to pull out the blanket lass?" George said to his wife at last. "Little Aly here fell asleep."

Alanna laid down the blanket on the beach, and George placed his daughter carefully on it. He sat down and tugged Alanna into his arms, kissing her gently before sighing. "We sent Numair into Sinthya's castle to do some spying. I brought the Own with me. You're to ride out there this afternoon so you can get his evidence and arrest him right away."

Alanna reached over and swept her sleeping daughter's hair out of her face before leaning back against her husband's chest. She looked up at him, no words needed and kissed him again. The two watched the sun rise before collecting their still slumbering daughter and heading slowly back to the castle.

--

Look not a lemon! Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I appreciate it. Let me know if there's any scene you really want to see. I enjoy writing these more than I thought I would, so I'll probably keep adding to it.


	5. Chapter 5

George rode hard through the night, ignoring the sleet that was pouring down from the sky and his muscles which ached from his day-long ride. At last, a flash of lightening revealed the towers of the Swoop. As he rode, he could hear the violence of the waves crashing against the cliffs. All he wanted was to get home to his family. Finally, he rode through the gates. He tossed the reigns of his horse to a sleepy looking stable hand, not bothering to brush down his horse as he usually did. He shed his cloak in the front hall, shivering from the cold. Quickly, he bound up the stairs, walking softly down the hallway and opening the door to his daughter's room.

He padded silently over to her bed and sat down on it, reaching out to touch her hair.

"Da?" the girl said, stirring slightly.

"Hush, Aly. Go back to sleep," he whispered.

She opened her green eyes and looked up at him. "What's wrong, Da?" she asked, as always far more perceptive then she should have been with only six years behind her.

"I just had a long day that's all baby girl," he said gently.

She reached up and gave him a hug. Gratefully, he held her tight, thankful that he had made it out of the Lower City, thankful she was safe from the horrors that were an inevitable part of living there.

"Go to sleep now," he said, letting her go and tucking her back into the bed.

"Sing me a song."

"Which one?"

"Jesse James."

_Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man,_

_He robbed the Lord of Ayn,_

_He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor,_

_He'd a hand and a heart and a brain._

_Well it was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward,_

_I wonder how he feels,_

_For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed,_

_And he laid poor Jesse in his grave._

_Now Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life_

_Three children now they were brave_

_Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard_

_He laid poor Jesse in his grave_

_Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor,_

_He'd never rob a mother or a child_

_There never was a man with the law in his hand_

_That could take Jesse James alive_

As George sang and Aly drifted back off to sleep, George heard the door creak open again and didn't bother to turn around, knowing it was Alanna. She sat down next to him on the bed and slid her arms around him, placing her chin on his shoulder as he finished the song. Once he'd finished he turned and hugged her properly, her warmth slowly seeping through his cold skin. Feeling the tension and cold in him, Alanna sent purple magic through him, easing the ache and tightness of his muscles and warming him slowly. She took his hand and walked silently out of Aly's room and down the hallway into their bedroom.

When they were in their room, she pealed George's soaking shirt off and pulled a chair out for him to sit on.

"What happened?" she asked softly, bending down to tug of his boots.

"We found out what was happening to those street girls' who'd gone missing."

"And?" she said, pulling of his socks and beginning to unlace his breeches.

"There was a set of five well to-do men, a few merchants and a healer, who'd taken a liking to young girls. They'd nabbed a bunch of them over time, figuring no one would care about street rats, and had their way with them. We found the girls. They were alive, if that's what you want to call it. The youngest was Aly's age. She had green eyes. They seemed to take up her whole face."

Alanna pulled George out of the chair and led him to their bed, pulling back the covers and sliding in after him. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, letting his head rest on her chest.

"I'm so sorry, George," she whispered into his ear. "I promise you that will never, ever happen to our daughter. Our daughter will never be in that position. She will never be powerless. She will never be a slave. She will never be raped. Neither of us will let that happen. She won't let that happen."

George nodded slowly, breathing in Alanna's comforting and familiar smell, relaxing in her hold. Moving his head slightly, he kissed the crook of her neck before falling into a deep sleep.

When he woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky, and the gulls shrieked as they flew past his windows.

"Good morning," Alanna said, getting up from the desk where she was sitting and bringing a plate of steaming food over. "I thought you might be hungry. It's your favorite, johnnycakes. I even used that spell your mother taught me to keep the food warm."

George smiled and sat up. "Thank you, lass. Tell me you didn't cook it yourself."

Alanna laughed. "I wouldn't do that to you," she said, curling up next to him and offering him a spoonful, which George happily ate. He wolfed the food down quickly, starving since he hadn't even bothered to stop for food the night before.

"Are you alright?" Alanna asked softly, taking the plate and placing it back on the desk.

"Yes lass. I'm alright. I was shook. I'm going to lie. Mainly, I'm just—" George paused, uncertain if he wanted to continue.

"Just what?" Alanna said, cocking her head in curiosity.

"I'm glad I got out of there," George finally said.

Alanna smiled. "Why wouldn't you want to say that?"

George shrugged. "I never was before. I mean I was happy to have you, but I never minded much livin' in the lower city. It feels a bit like a betrayal of my roots being glad to get out."

Alanna nodded, her eyes serious. "Wanting what's best for your family is nothing to feel bad about George, and you didn't betray them. You help the people you left behind continuously, just like you did with those girls. As long as you don't forget them, you won't betray them. And I know you well enough to know, you'll never forget them."

George smiled and put his hand out to touch his wife's cheek. "How do you always know just what to say?" George asked.

Alanna smiled. "It's just the truth, George. That's all. Besides, most of the time it's you saying exactly what I need to hear. Once in a blue moon, I get to return the favor."

"You're wrong, lass," George said, undoing the belt that held her robe in place and sliding it off her shoulders, his hands moving down her arms. "Everything you say is what I need to hear at all times."

Alanna grinned and kissed him. "I'm fairly certain that's a slight exaggeration."

George grinned against her lips. "Well, almost always then. And you wouldn't be my lass if you didn't say the wrong thing sometimes, so even when you say the wrong thing, you're really saying the right thing."

Alanna laughed outright at his words. "Glad to hear that I'm so perfect."

"Yes, you are," George whispered, leaning her back and caressing the curve of her waist. For a few moments, he just looked down at her, letting his fingers drift across her stomach. Then, he leaned down and kissed her, stroking her hip slowly as she wrapped her arms around him and slid her foot up his leg.

Their kisses were deepening and their breathing was becoming harsher when a voice yelled, "DA!" followed by a kick to the door.

George groaned. "Just a moment, Aly."

Alanna sighed as George stood up and hauled her up. "I'll catch you later, laddybuck," she whispered, biting his neck gently.

George grinned and pulled on breeches and a shirt, watching his wife slip on similar clothing, her familiar curves disappearing under a layer of fabric. He rolled up his sleeves and splashed some water on his face, toweling it off and then opening the door. Aly bounced in and threw herself on her father.

"Hello there baby girl. Couldn't you be a good girl and go play with your brothers?" George asked, settling his daughter easily on his hip.

Aly stuck out her lower lip and said, "Thom is reading, and Alan is whacking a tree with a stick. Boring. I want to play one of our games. The one with the bells."

George laughed. "Alright, come on Aly."

He turned and smiled at his wife, his eyes soft. She smiled back. "Have fun you two," she said. "I'm going to go save the tree."

---

Please review! I need to know if people like it when I update this. I was pleased with the Jesse James thing, my dad always sang that to me when I was little. (Oh, Disclaimer: Jesse James, I didn't write it, just switched train with Lord of Ayn)


	6. Chapter 6

Servants whispered in the halls, passing the word along. The word spread outwards and soon all the local people had heard the news.

"Angry. Really angry," whispered a cook's assistant to the stable boy.

"How angry?"

"Just stay out of the way and tell everyone."

"Usually it's the Baroness that gets angry. I didn't know the Baron got angry."

"Everyone gets angry, and you know what they say about him. That's a man whose anger you don't want directed at you."

"Very true. Why is he angry?"

"No one knows. A messenger came with letters that seems to have triggered it."

"Where's the Baroness?"

"She went out for a ride early this morning. She hasn't come back."

"She's back now, and aren't you suppose to be working not gossiping?" a tart voice said from behind them.

The cook's assistant squeaked as she looked at her mistress, dropped a curtsey and skittered off. The stable boy, chastened, took Alanna's horse and led it away.

Sighing, Alanna took off her riding gloves and walked to the castle. Any news that made her husband that angry could not be good. They had finally recovered from the famine, and she'd just begun the month's leave Jon had given her the day before. She'd hope for to be able to spend it peaceably with her husband, who she'd seen so little of over the past year, but it sounded like that might not happen. She walked into George's study and to her surprise found it empty. A few papers littered the ground as if they'd been knocked off the desk, but otherwise it was as it usually was. She moved to the bedroom, but did not find him there. Frowning, she stopped a maid who had been peering around the corridor wide-eyed and asked her if she'd seen the Baron.

"Yes, lady. He left his study around the last bell and walked down that way," the maid replied timidly, pointing to corridor that curved to the right of the hallway they were in.

Alanna nodded and walked the way the maid had pointed. Realizing where her husband had gone, she opened a door along the corridor and began the climb up the long, winding stairs to the highest tower in the building. Finally, she opened the door to the observation deck and saw her husband staring out into the ocean, his knuckles white from the strength of his grip on the banister.

"George?" Alanna said softly, unsure of what could make him this angry and what he would want. When he didn't respond, or even look at her, she walked over to him hesitantly. She ducked under one of his arms so she stood between him and the banister. Reaching up, she touched his cheek. "George, look at me. What's wrong?"

Finally, he looked down at her, a confusing mass of emotion evident on his face. She stood up on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck and searching his face for a hint at what she could do to help. "What's wrong?" she repeated softly.

He leaned his head forward slightly, touching his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "I got a letter from Marek about the new Rogue," he finally responded, his voice as soft as hers. "He's no good. Brought the pimps back again, worse then ever before. The way the flower sellers are being treated is just….And he's making the street kids give him such a large chunk of their stealings that they're starving in the streets and getting in trouble for taking to risky of marks," he paused. "I abandoned my people," he added, his voice cracking slightly, "and they're suffering for it."

Alanna paused, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry," she finally said, cursing herself internally for the futility of the words.

George nodded slowly before pulling away and turning his back to her. "I hate this," he finally said, his voice harsher than it had ever been before. "I hate it. I hate it that I'm stuck here reading over reports while the Lower City suffers and you go gallivanting off places leaving me to wonder if you're ever coming back. I hate this feeling of uselessness. There is nothing I can do. I've made my choice, and I have to live with it."

Tears welled in Alanna's eyes at his words. She'd known he'd missed her and even worried about her, but she had no idea what else was going on or that he was actually unhappy.

"I chose to be a _noble_." George spat the word out like it was a curse, slamming his fist against the door. "And now I have less freedom than I've ever had in my life and can't help those I care about. And there's no one here in this castle of ours. No one to talk to. I just sit and do nothing all day, every day. I hate it."

The tears in Alanna's eyes fell slowly down her cheeks. "George, I'm so sorry."

George turned when he heard the tears in her voice. He walked over and tugged her close to his chest. "Oh, lass. This has naught to do with you. You're the good part of this life of mine. I just get frustrated sometimes. This year has been hard on all of us, and the letter from Marek on top of it all just made it unbearable."

"You wouldn't be here if you hadn't married me."

"That's not true. I took Jon's offer before I married you, remember? And I wouldn't change a thing even if I could. It'll get better now that things are settling down. It has to," George said, his voice bleak.

Alanna kissed him on the neck. "It will get better, George. I have a whole month here, and we won't be separated for nearly so long most of the time. And you are doing a lot, as you well know. The realm would be in shambles if you hadn't tracked down who exactly was part of the rebellion, and the Lower City would have suffered for that too. If he's a bad Rogue, I have no doubt that some smart young thing will come along and knock him out of power, or maybe Marek will finally take the throne he's coveted for so long. This was a bad year for all of us, but there's a new harvest, an heir in the cradle and peace for the moment. It will get better here and in the Lower City."

George sighed and kissed Alanna. "I hope your right, lass. I really do."

Alanna pulled him closer for a deeper kiss. "I love you."

George smiled slightly. "I love you, too," he said, warmth creeping into his voice. He leaned down and kissed her again. Alanna moved close against him, forcing his attention to every place their bodies touched.

Alanna pulled away and closed the door to the balcony, dragging a chair and propping it against the door. "Lass, what are you up too?"

Alanna grinned, pulling her shirt and tunic up over her head with a flourish. "Reminding you what it feels like when this life of yours is good."

George laughed and reached out, pulling her to him. "No matter what, lass. No matter how hard it gets, my life is always good. I have you, and I never forget it. It's all worth it because I have you."

----

George can't really be happy all the time can he? I always thought he might have had some trouble transitioning to his new life, especially before the kids were born. Hope you liked it. Review and let me know!


	7. Chapter 7

George sat on a stool in the makeshift hospital and looked down at his wife. Her face was pale, and her shoulder was wrapped. He took one of her hands and placed it between his. As he listened to her shallow breathing, he thought about the day exactly six years ago. He'd always marked this day as it passed, and he always wondered if she remembered its significance. For various reasons, they'd never been together again on that day, and he always spent the whole day missing her even more than he normally did. He would always remember that day.

When she'd told him she was ready to move on from Jonathan, part of him had felt like he should have said no, but he couldn't. Instead, he'd swept her off her feet and carried her to his bed.

They'd both felt it. The comfort and playfulness of their long-standing friendship transferred easily to the bedroom, and no shyness or first-time jitters marred the moment as he slid her breeches off or she pulled his tunic over his head. Mixed in with the feelings of familiarity and ease was a desperate desire unlike anything George had ever experienced, and he'd had plenty of experiences in his life. Though the women of the Rogue had been perturbed by his increasing lack of interest in them over the previous few years, during the early part of his reign he'd taken full advantage of his options. But with Alanna, he found something totally new.

It wasn't that the experience was perfect, or extra sensual, or even the best sex he'd ever had in the most absolute sense of the word. It was that he had more fun that he'd ever had before. When she was undoing his belt buckle, she struggled a little, and rather than get embarrassed, she pushed him off of her, straddled him and peered down at his buckle, twisting her mouth in exaggerated puzzlement.

"What is going on here?" she'd finally said, making George laugh out loud.

"Is there something in there?" she'd demanded, forcing back her chuckles. "Is that some tricky Rogue belt?"

"No, lass, it's just a regular old belt," he'd whispered, pulling her down for a kiss. "What kind of knight can't work a simple belt?"

She'd grinned and nipped his lip playfully.

He looked down at her now, her face bare of any of the joy that had been there on that day and drawn with pain even in this deep sleep.

"Please wake up," George whispered. "Please wake up."

"Anything?"

George turned and looked at Jon. He shook his head. "She hasn't even moved. She lost a lot of blood. Baird said all that we can do is wait and pray she wakes up."

Jon put his hand on George's shoulder, his face drawn. "I need to go check in with Raoul. Let me know if anything changes."

He didn't think about Jon. Not until they'd finished, and he'd rolled off of her and was lying on his back, did he wonder is she was thinking about him or if she was thinking about her previous lover. Uncharacteristically nervous that she would regret what they'd done, he hadn't looked at her, steeling himself for what her reaction would be.

"Well, that was fun." Her voice had cut through his worries and made him laugh again.

"Lass, you are as blunt as they come aren't you?"

She'd turned over and put her head on his shoulder. "That's what you like about me isn't it," she'd asked.

He'd kissed the top of her head. "That's what I love about you, lass."

"I love you, lass," he whispered in her ear, hoping she could hear him.

He'd turned slightly, so he could look at her. "Trickster, don't you be messing with me," he'd whispered, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

She'd laughed. "Why did you say that?"

"I keep thinking the Trickster has somehow set all this up, only to pull the rug out from under me."

"Perhaps he did, he'd have to have a hand in a relationship between a Rogue and a Lady Knight, don't you think? But don't worry, I won't let him pull the rug out from under you."

"As long as he doesn't take you away again, I don't care how many rugs he pulls," he'd said, kissing her warmly on the mouth.

"Please, Trickster don't take her away," he whispered.

"I'd like to see him try and take me anywhere," Alanna groaned, blinking slowly.

George breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Welcome back lass. You had us worried there."

"Over a little flesh wound like this?" Alanna smiled, ignoring the pain. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days. Longest days of my life," George leaned forward and kissed her.

"Three days. I'm sorry, George." She paused, thinking, then smiled as she asked, "Do you know today is?"

----

Sorry, really sappy, I know. I'm trying to kick start my writing mode again though, so I wanted to do something really structured and see if that helped. It did.....a little.....I think. Man, I've never been so bleck about writing before.


	8. Chapter 8

"Enjoying the view, Lady Knight?" Alanna asked, walking along the Swoop's wall to stand next to Keladry of Mindelan.

Kel smiled. "You have a lovely home."

"Thank you. I wish I could take credit for it, but George had all the renovations done before we were even married, and he handles most of the upkeep. Though if you were admiring the actual wall, I can take credit for that since I filled in all the gaps between the stones during a fit of feeling useless," Alanna replied, leaning against the wall next to Kel.

They stood in silence for a few moments until Alanna finally said, "You can tell me you know. Whatever it is that's bothering you."

Kel started to speak, then paused.

"Spit it out youngling. I may be able to help."

Kel shifted her weight to other foot, then finally said, "Why did you get married?"

Alanna cocked her head and considered the younger woman's question. "I couldn't think of a single reason not to," she finally replied.

"How did you know?" Kel asked.

"Know what?"

"Know that your feelings wouldn't fade. That he was the one for you."

Alanna sighed. "You know, I'm not very romantic. No matter what the bard's say, I've never believed that there is one person for you, that without them you are not complete. I loved more than one man over my life. No doubt you heard some of the rumors. I had two other lovers besides George, and I did love both of them, but in different ways then I love George. In retrospect, I can say that one was mostly respect for a fighter and lust, and he wanted what I thought I wanted, to roam without being tied to any person or place, but he couldn't accept me and who I was. The other I did love, deeply and completely. We were good friends, and there was certainly passion and he was always there for me, and I could have married him. But as I grew up and got older, I realized I would never have been happy with him. No matter what anyone says, love is not enough. And there are different kinds of love, and different people you can find happiness with. And with George, I found the right kind of love, and just as importantly I found happiness. The love was there long before I was ready to accept it. I just had to mature enough to realize what had been there since I was fifteen."

"What was it that made him different?"

Alanna shrugged. "Oh, it's hard to explain. With George, I can just be me. He never asks for anything else. He's always supportive of me and my choices. He can make me laugh no matter how dark the world seems. He always saw me and treated me as a warrior and a woman. With my other lovers, there was always this tension. One disliked any indication that I was a woman, particularly a noble woman; he picked a huge fight the first time he saw me in a dress. And the other—I was his comrade primarily, and his lover second. With George, there's no difference between the two. He was like that from the start, when I was just a scared little girl and there was naught but friendship between us. He was the first person I told besides the servants who helped me disguise my gender, and he told me he was going to call me Alanna in private so I wouldn't forget I was a girl, but he still respected me just the same as a fighter. His ability to see both parts of me as one is something I never encountered with my other lovers, or even most of my friends. And when he's with me, life is just better. All the little things are fun, eating breakfast, changing diapers, everything. When I'm with him, I'm just happier. He balances me too. I look at the world in black and white, and he sees the shades of grey. I need that, so I can be reminded that things aren't as simple as I make them out to be. And he doesn't have a temper, well he does, but it's as cold as mine is hot. If I married someone with a temper even close to mine, we would have fought all the time, something that would have been a problem with both my other lovers. George just teases me until I get out of temper."

"You don't fight at all?"

Alanna laughed. "We're married, of course we've fought, but we've been married a long time, and we've only had one fight that I would consider a bad fight, and there were extenuating circumstances there. Want to tell me what this is about?"

Kel sighed. "I've had feelings for men before, but they've always faded. And, I have a friend who I've had some feelings for a long while now, and lately things have been changing between us. And I am nervous about acting on my feelings, having them fade, and losing a friendship that means a lot to me. Or finding that he doesn't feel the same way, and that this change is in my head, and losing the friendship."

Alanna nodded. "Well, if these have lasted a long while there's a good chance they won't fade, and staying friends with an old lover is possible. It depends, of course, on how things end, but it is possible. Jon is still one of my best friends, and that first ending was ugly. But time and space allowed us both to realize that we were much better off as friends."

"So the rumors are true."

"Only the most outlandish ones."

Kel looked at Alanna. "The most outlandish? The Baron really was the King of Thieves before he was ennobled?" Kel said jokingly.

Seeing the look on Alanna's face, Kel repeated, her voice squeaking slightly, "The Baron was the King of Thieves?!"

Alanna laughed before turning serious. "It's a risky life we lead, Kel. Don't be too afraid to take a chance before you lose the opportunity. People who court the Black God like we do can't take that kind of risk."

Kel smiled. "Thank you. I just wish I knew he returned the feelings, but I suppose that's a chance I have to take."

Alanna shook her head in amusement. "That sergeant has been yours for a long time now, Kel. He's just been waiting for you to see what's in front of your face. Go on now. Take the chance."

Kel grinned and nodded, walking down the stairs of the wall to go join the small group of men from Third Company that were playing cards in Alanna's courtyard.

Alanna smiled as she watched the younger woman. She had a good head on her shoulders, and there was no doubting the depth of the friendship between her and Neal's cousin and both of their desire for more. Dom would do well by her, and Alanna guessed that once the relationship actually began things would be simple enough. The two of them would find a way that worked for them.

"Are you up here plotting?" George asked, appearing suddenly along the wall and wrapping his arms around her.

Alanna continued to watch Kel as she said something quietly to Dom and the two walked away. "Only a little," she told her husband with a grin.

George looked to see what she was watching and smiled. "Raoul had mentioned something like that might be happening soon enough. He seems like a nice lad."

Alanna nodded. "He'll make her happy."

She turned in George's arms and looked up at him with a smile. "Just like you make me happy," she added quietly.

George grinned down at her. "I try."

Alanna reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

"You know," George said conversationally. "You could make me pretty happy right now if you wanted to."

"Is that so?"

George smiled, pulling her in for another kiss. In spite of all the years they'd been married, warmth still flooded Alanna's whole body and her stomach flipped over as he slid his hands across her lower back and held her close.

Alanna pulled back after a few long moments and smiled. "I think perhaps we should go back to our room to continue this exploration of happiness."

"You nobles and your silly sense of propriety," George replied, allowing Alanna to take his hand and lead him back to their room.

Once there, Alanna wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, enjoying the familiar sensation of his hands sliding under her shirt to caress her sides before he slipped her shirt over her head. George walked her back towards the bed and she stumbled, making them both laugh even as they continued undressing each other without a hitch. Familiarity, love, comfort and passion all grew as they moved through only one of the many acts they had grown so good at doing together over the course of their friendship, courtship and marriage. Afterwards, Alanna lay with her head on George's chest, and as her heart rate slowed, her thoughts returned to her earlier conversation with Kel. She looked up at her husband and smiled. "Thank you," she said.

George looked down at her and quirked an eyebrow. "For what lass? I'm fair certain I got just as much out of that as you."

"I don't mean for that, or I suppose not just for that. I mean everything. I mean thank you for seeing what we could be and waiting for me to see the same. Thank you for this life of ours."

George leaned down to kiss her. "You don't have to thank me for that, lass," he said quietly. "You reward me everyday. Just by being you."

----

Oh, I love Alanna and George, but they always come through for me, even when I'm just trying to work out my own life. Sorry if you find this a little boring, but hopefully I'll be be updating zenobia and Liam's stories soon. I was struggling with both of them quite a bit, not knowing what to do with the next chapter, but as always I think A/G helped some since they come so naturally to me. Anyways--Review!!! Even if it's just to tell me to make them more interesting again.


	9. Chapter 9

George leaned back a little further in his large chair and put his feet up on the balcony. He dozed, lulled by the sound of the waves, the early morning sun on his face and the weight of his son laying on his bare chest. A breeze blew across them, and Thom stirred slightly and gave a soft coo. George reached a hand up and smoothed down the few tufts of red hair on Thom's head and the boy settled again.

"You're up early."

George leaned back a little further and smiled up at his wife. "I'm still dozing," he responded with a smile.

Alanna smiled. "I didn't know that when I had a baby it would mean you would leave me alone in bed at all hours of the night. I can't even imagine how much you would disappear if I had the baby girl you requested."

"He's perfect as he is," George responded. "You did good, lass."

Alanna leaned down and kissed him. "We did good."

George scooted over to the side of the chair, and Alanna grinned and slid in next to him, turning on her side to fit. She leaned her head on his chest and tossed her legs over his, reaching a hand up to rub Thom's back softly.

"It's nice out here," she said sleepily. "I thought you were insane for moving our favorite and upholstered chair onto the balcony and risking it getting rained out."

"I remember," George said ruefully.

"I suppose I got a little too upset about it," Alanna admitted.

"A little?"

"I was a week past due! I can't be expected to be rational in that situation, even when my husband is actually trying to be really sweet and put my favorite chair in the sun."

"Was that an apology, lass?" George teased.

Alanna stretched up to kiss him gently on the neck.

"No. It was your fault I was so irrational."

George laughed out right at that. "It was certainly worth it though," he said with a smile, looking down at Thom.

"I can't believe how perfect he is," Alanna said softly.

George reached an arm around her back and drew her closer, trailing his fingers slowly up and down her arm. "I told you so," he teased.

"Don't gloat. It's unbecoming."

"I need to remind you that I was right last time to help convince you I'll be right next time."

Alanna chuckled softly, but didn't respond.

George craned his neck to try and look her in the eyes. "I'm waiting for your loud objection."

"This is too nice for loud objections," Alanna murmured. "Though with another baby we may have trouble all fitting in this chair."

"We can buy a couch," George replied with a grin.

"So demanding."

"And yet you aren't insisting one is enough."

Alanna stayed silent. She reached out and cupped Thom's head with her hand. "One is lovely, but…"

She paused again, but George waited her out. "Thom was so important in my life. I can't imagine going through childhood without a sibling."

George kissed Alanna's forehead, gently wiping her tears away.

"I asked my mother for a little brother for Midwinter once."

Alanna chuckled again, her tears drying as the familiar ache faded, though didn't disappear. "What did she say?"

"She said there were enough thieves in the world. She wasn't producing anymore."

Alanna laughed outright at that, the sound rolling softly and pleasantly through his chest. "It never occurred to me, but I suppose she tried every trick in the book to keep you from thieving."

"If by that you mean she yelled, guilted and whipped me. Yes. Every trick in the book."

"Why did you do it?"

George looked down at her in wry bemusement. "I was hungry."

Alanna bit her lip. "Sorry."

"You're a noble," George replied with a shrug.

"That was mean," Alanna said quietly, the hurt evident in her voice.

George sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean you don't care. I just meant that you're…just different. Your life experience was different. What naturally occurs to me wouldn't naturally occur to you."

Alanna reached a hand up to stroke his face. "Was it really that bad?"

George shrugged again. "Compared to others in the Lower City, no. We always had a home to live in, though now I know that we got close to not having one. Ma never told me, but she wouldn't have let me go hungry unless she had to. And we didn't always have enough food, but I had a Ma who was always there, who wasn't a drunk, who loved me and showed it, who could read and write and taught me to read and write, and probably most importantly, who knew of a life beyond the Lower City. Ma knew what else there was in life, and she made sure I did too. That set me apart from most of the kids I ran around with. But it was hard. I was hungry, and there was food all around. So I took it. I hated upsetting her, but I hated being hungry more."

"Did you support her?" Alanna asked.

"No. She'd never take money that came from thieving. I'd send my boys over to get patched up by her, and she was paid for that, but that's it. She had enough money by the time I became Rogue anyways. She had established herself as a healer and was able to buy herbs and metal to make balms and charms and sell those. She bought the house you knew all on her own the first year I was Rogue."

"So if she had enough money, why'd you keep stealing? Why did you become the Rogue?"

"I'd spent my life not having any power. Stealing gave me power. And I was good at it. I didn't want to go get a job taking orders from someone who thought they were better than I was just because of where I'd been born and who I'd been born to. So I kept thieving. And the old Rogue saw me as a threat. I either had to bind myself to him, or take his throne. The choice wasn't that hard in the end. He wasn't a particularly good Rogue, and I certainly wasn't willing to bind myself to a man who wasn't as good a Rogue as I could be."

George paused. "And I didn't want any chil of mine to ever feel hungry," he finished quietly.

Alanna kissed his jaw. "I don't think you'll ever have to worry about that."

"One of the many good things about marrying a woman for her money," George teased.

Alanna squawked and pinched him along the ribs. George jerked in response, causing Thom to wake up and wail.

George sat up and bounced him gently. "Hush now, little man."

Thom quieted instantly, waving a little fist about and cooing softly.

Alanna pinched him again. "Look what you did, waking him up."

"Me? Is it my fault you don't like hearing the truth?"

Alanna pinched him yet again in response and scowled.

George laughed. "Alright, alright woman. You're going to bruise me. I admit it. I didn't marry you _only_ for your money."

He hopped out of the chair and skittered away before she could pinch him again, raising Thom slightly to rest securely on his shoulder.

"I'm going to get you," Alanna said, circling the chair slowly.

George backed into the bedroom. "I'm holding the baby!"

"Coward. Using the baby as a shield."

She darted in and pinched him with both hands.

"Oh, that's it." George lowered Thom carefully into his bassinet before turning to face Alanna. "This is war."

Alanna squealed and headed for the exit, but George clambered over the bed and blocked the door. "Don't, please don't," she begged, backing away slowly with her hands raised.

"You should have thought of that before you provoked me." He leapt towards her, and she turned and tried to run. He snagged her around the waist easily and trapped her against his chest, tickling her mercilessly. "Please, please, please," she begged. "Please stop."

Desperately, she reached up and kissed him on the mouth. He relaxed his fingers instantly, responding eagerly to her harsh kiss, stroking gentle fingers along the ribs he'd just been tickling. He backed her towards the bed, drawing her nightshirt up and over her head.

"The baby," Alanna murmured.

"He won't mind," George replied, nuzzling her neck and letting his hands explore the newly heavy weight of her breast. He pulled back and looked at her. "Are you ready for this?" he asked softly.

Alanna smiled and reached for his laces. "Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Rather than respond, she pushed his breeches and loincloth down and wrapped her hand around him, squeezing gently. He hissed and slid his fingers under her loincloth, pulling it slowly off. He slid a gentle finger between her legs, caressing the warm flesh. His eyes rolled and he lost focus as she sped up her strokes. "Trickster's beard, I've missed this."

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, wrapping one leg around the small of his back and hitching herself closer. He kept teasing her, enjoying prolonging the expectation and her increasingly frustrated noises. Finally she bit him hard on the shoulder and snapped, "Stop messing around."

He laughed, "So demanding." Gently, he slid into her, hesitant despite her eagerness.

She bit her lip, and he froze. He pulled back slightly, and reached a hand up to stroke her hair out of her face. "It's only been four weeks, lass. We can wait."

Alanna grinned up at him before digging her heels into his behind and using them as leverage to thrust her hips upward. The air whooshed out of his lungs and he dropped his forehead to meet hers. "Give a man a warning before you do that," he said huskily, but he began to move his hips gently causing both of them to groan simultaneously when he finally sank completely into her.

He kissed her deeply and laughed softly. "It's nice to be able to reach your lips again while we do this," he teased lightly.

She smiled and wound her hand is his hair, using her other hand to pull her chest against his. She arched up, her breasts brushing against his chest and sighed. "Yes. Yes it is."

He slid his forearms under her back, pressing himself as close against her as possible and continuing the maddeningly slow movement of his hips. Determined to end his teasing and his worry, Alanna nipped at the cord in his neck that she knew was a sensitive spot of his and bucked up hard with her hips, the combined sensation causing him to lose any control he had. He drove hard into her and the mood shifted, their lovemaking moving in an instant from tender and teasing to nearly desperate as they both raced to the finish.

He rolled off of her when they'd finished, sweating and breathing hard. She curled into him and he moved a heavy arm to circle around her and bring her tight against his side. She kissed his chest and smiled.

"I really missed that."

"It's only been four weeks, lass. Mithros knows we've gone much longer than that."

"It's not the same," Alanna insisted. "And you know it."

George made a noncommittal noise and Alanna scowled, knowing he was irritating her on purpose. She propped her head up on one elbow and said, "Well, if you feel that way about it, I guess I won't propose a repeat round while I lay on my newly-flattened stomach."

She moved to hop out of bed, and he pulled her back, pressing her chest firmly into the mattress as he slid over her. He stroked her hair to the side and kissed her neck. "Let's not be too hasty," he husked, moving his lips in a caressing line of kisses down her spine as she arched back into him.

Thom screamed unexpectedly, causing them both to start. George laughed softly and rolled off her, pulling on breeches as he hopped out of bed and motioning to Alanna to stay. "Alright little man, alright. Hush now."

Alanna smiled as she watched George lean down and lift Thom out of the bassinet, bouncing him slightly and causing his wails to quiet to hiccupping sobs.

George handed him to her and climbed back into bed, encouraging her to lie back against his chest when she began to feed him. Alanna stroked a finger across his cheek as he suckled, feeling warmth flood her body.

"No," she said quietly. "No, I don't think one will be enough."

She grinned up at George cheekily. "Even if they spend many months preventing favorite activities from happening in favorite positions and many years preventing favorite activities from happening at all."

George grinned back and kissed the back of her neck. "Don't worry, lass. Even if we have twenty little 'un, we'll find time for all favored activities, and we'll rediscover all favored positions," he said, the purr in his voice causing her to shiver agreeably even as she refocused her attention to the perfect little boy in her arms.

* * *

**Back at last! Hitting another serious exhaustion induced writer's block, but as always A/G helped kick me out of it at last. I'm struggling with Zenobia right now-she's very temperamental and refuses to cooperate in any of what she terms the boring part, and what I term the important plot development part of her story. Don't worry-I'll keep wrestling with her, but in the meantime I'll update this, the Buri/Raoul story and the Beka/Rosto in an attempt to get the creative juices flowing again. I'm so sorry to all those waiting on me, but I promise even if it takes me ten bloody years, I'll finish Z's story. **

**As always, please review and let me know what you think! If not for all my reviews, I would have given up a long time ago.**


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